Serbia approves special law enabling Trump-linked luxury hotel on historic bombing site
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Serbia has approved a law paving the way for the demolition of the former General Staff military complex in Belgrade and the construction of a hotel owned by the family of US President Donald Trump, The New York Times reports.
Hotel on the ruins of the General Staff
Serbia's parliament passed legislation allowing the demolition of the General Staff headquarters in Belgrade, destroyed during NATO bombings in 1999. The new law opens the way for the Trump family to build a five-star hotel on the site.
According to the NYT, the $500 million project was approved in the spring of last year. It will be carried out by a company linked to Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. In November 2024, the Serbian government revoked the building’s cultural heritage status, which triggered outrage among preservation advocates.
Project implementation
The project was later suspended after several officials involved in its approval were charged with fraud. Serbia's organized crime prosecutor said the director of the state-run culture institute allegedly falsified documents to justify removing the building’s protected status.
Last weekend, lawmakers from President Aleksandar Vučić's ruling party introduced a special bill allowing the project to bypass standard bureaucratic procedures. The law was adopted under a constitutional mechanism that experts say is usually reserved for emergencies.
Serbian opposition
The Serbian opposition sharply criticized the new law, saying it clears the way for the demolition of the former General Staff building in Belgrade. Lawmakers called the bill unconstitutional and accused the government of sacrificing cultural heritage for Donald Trump's interests.
Opposition politicians also said the deal with Jared Kushner's company was signed without an open tender. They argue that this violates the principles of transparency and competition in public-private partnerships.
The Yugoslav General Staff
Since 1999, the ruins of the Yugoslav Army General Staff building have been regarded in Belgrade as an informal symbol of the NATO campaign that ended the Yugoslav civil war through what the Alliance called "humanitarian bombings."
The site has remained a reminder of the war and its consequences. Many Serbs see it as both a memorial and a warning against repeating the tragedy.
The Trump family also plans to turn Albania's Sazan Island, a former military base, into a luxury resort despite environmental concerns and public criticism.
Earlier, farmers in Vietnam blocked the construction of a luxury Trump golf resort amid disputes over land compensation.
